Optimisation of process parameters for coloration and antibacterial finishing of wool fabric using natural fungal extract

Abstract

The present study aims at evaluating and optimizing the dyeing potential of fungal pigments for wool fabric specimen. The fungal pigments are extracted from the species of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Thermomyces</i>, purified and characterized using UV-Vis and FTIR spectra and then used for dyeing. An experiment has been designed using Box- Behnken with three levels and three variables using <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">p</i>H, temperature and time as independent variables and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">K</i>/<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">S</i>, wash, rub & light fastness and bacterial reduction (%) as dependent variables and the process conditions are optimized. Regression equations have been obtained to analyse color intensity, fastness properties and bacterial reduction and the optimum process parameters are identified. The results show that the optimum concentration of the pigment is 2% on weight of the fabric and the optimum conditions for dyeing are 60° C, 30 min at 3 <i>p</i>H.